Alas, fixing UGA will require more than a few Richt ‘tweaks’
"How the heck did we win that goshdarn thing, anyway?" (AJC photo by Brant Sanderlin)
Looking lousy against Boise State was one thing. Looking good but losing anyway was, in its way, worse. After the Georgia Bulldogs congratulated themselves on their Great Effort against South Carolina, the thought occurred:
Does Nick Saban congratulate himself after losses?
There are two ways to regard the bizarre doings of Saturday night. Mark Richt’s sunny-side-up stance was to speak of his team having “all the ingredients” and just needing “to tweak a couple of things.” The burnt-toast way is to reference the scoreboard and note that, once again, Richt’s team did whatever it took to lose.
You don’t go from losing half of your past 30 games to winning championships by tweaking. If anyone should know, it’s Richt. The march to the 2002 SEC championship was fueled by the desire — Richt’s words — to knock the lid off Georgia football. (The Bulldogs had gone two decades without a title.) Knocking implies force. Tweaking implies rather less. For contemporary Georgia football, less cannot yield more.
Optimists among us will point to Isaiah Crowell and Malcolm Mitchell and Aaron Murray and Orson Charles and laud, as Richt did Saturday night, Georgia’s “talent base.” But the Bulldogs haven’t lacked for talent — not under Richt, not under Jim Donnan, not even under Ray Goff. At issue is whether Georgia again can learn to win, and that’s a whole ‘nother matter.
There’s a troubling label for what Georgia has become, and that label is “South Carolina.” For more than a century the Gamecocks would try very hard and stir deep passion but never quite get it right. How many times did Carolina play the Bulldogs off their feet and lose at the end? It happened in 2002, the David Pollack sack/snatch game that also featured two Gamecock fumbles on the goal line; happened in 2004, when Carolina led 16-0 but lost 20-16; happened in 2009, when it outgained Georgia by 119 yards but lost because Brandon Boykin returned a kickoff to score and because DeAngelo Tyson blocked a tying PAT.
There was no reason for Georgia to lose Saturday. Indeed, losing required real doing. More than just being fooled on a fake punt, Georgia couldn’t intercept a defensive end as he thundered 68 yards to a touchdown. It was bad enough that nobody blocked Jadeveon Clowney, far worse that Murray waved the ball and left it unsecured, thereby turning a sack into a sack, strip and score.
“We’re going to shake off the mistakes and become a very good football team,” Richt said, and maybe Georgia will. But I’m more skeptical after South Carolina than after Boise State. More and more, Richt bears the look of one of those coaches who can take his’n and lose to your’n and vice versa.
Loading ...Did the coach order Murray and Crowell to botch a handoff at a time when Georgia was poised to take a 27-14 lead? Of course not. But the worst possible play at the worst possible moment has become a Bulldog signature. Georgia should have beaten Colorado last season, but Caleb King fumbled. Georgia could have beaten Florida, but Murray threw into a throng in overtime.
Mathematically speaking, Richt was correct in saying: “We’re still in the Eastern Division race.” Having watched Richt’s team contrive to lose a game that would have been far easier to win, I can’t summon up much enthusiasm for math.
Sure, it’s possible Georgia could win the next 10 games and take the East. It’s possible Richt could not only keep his seat but cement himself in place. It’s also possible Georgia will continue to do as Georgia now does — lose most every close game — and Dan Mullen will be tapped to coach the Bulldogs in 2012.
Speaking of Boise, Richt had said: “When you play a team that’s used to winning and that knows how to win, it’s hard.” Georgia has become the kind of team that’s easy to play. An opponent needn’t do all that much — just hang around long enough for the Bulldogs to mess up.
By Mark Bradley
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639 comments Add your comment
Lowrider
September 11th, 2011
3:07 pm
Steve Spurrier, at SC, has never, not ONCE, done better than 5-3 in SEC play.
Odds in Georgia’s favor that SPurrier finishes 5-3 in SEC play, OR WORSE.
bill
September 11th, 2011
3:07 pm
After we beat Coastal Carolina 28-17 in a hard hitting game, we’ll be geared up for winning the SEC East…pulezee!!!
We should beat those guys 66-3, but we won’t because that’s not CMR’s MO…and why 7 wins is about right for this season…until Don tells Michael to cut our losses, it’s the same old, same old…
Columbus
September 11th, 2011
3:07 pm
Bradley, like your short bio says “you are not smart as we think”. Thats a lie! We do not thank and NEVER did think you were that smart. You did and you still do. Richt is MUCH MORE RELIABLE ANS INTELLIGENT AND INFORMED THAN YOU.
I THINK WE WILL LISTEN TO HIM AND NOT YOU. HE SAYS THE TEAM WILL BE GREAT BY THE END OF THE YEAR. I THINK ANY OF US WITH ANY EYESIGHT AND HALF A BRAIN AGREE. I HOPE UGA WINS THE EAST SO YOU CAN EAT CROW FOR THE NEXT OFF-SEASON AND FOR THE NEXT 5 YEARS!
WHY DID AJC HIRE YOU? TO GET AN OUT-OF-STATE GUY TO COME IN AND BASH UGA WHEN THEY ARE WINNING AND TO BURY THEM WHEN THEY ARE HAVING IT TOUGH?
BRADLEY…..WHAT A JOKE!
Couldn't happen to a better fan base
September 11th, 2011
3:08 pm
What was that stat they kept showing of UGA 2-9 or something against teams in the top 25? I can’t remember but I want to see it now.
PHIL FULMER
September 11th, 2011
3:08 pm
did i see what i believe i saw saturday, lose again..WE ARE 6-9 THE LAST 15 GAMES , WAKE UP
GEORGIA AND GET YOUR HEAD OUT OF YOUR!@#$%^&*()SS
Lowrider
September 11th, 2011
3:10 pm
Florida has to play:
Alabama, LSU, Auburn, Georgia, Tenn, and South Carolina.
At least 3 losses. Probably 4.
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville
September 11th, 2011
3:10 pm
Also
The state of Georgia has ranked for years in the top 5 of recruiting
UGA ranks #2 in money
I think plenty of coaches would want to come to UGA
Just the other day Mike Leach said he would be interested
You ought to shut your mouth moron
JRW7
September 11th, 2011
3:10 pm
CTG is not the right chice for UGA DC either, What was he anyway, our 4th or 5th choice for DC? CMR got turned down by 3 coaches for UGA DC, what did they see that CMR doesn’t seem to see. That CMR has turned into a losing coach!
That Being Said
September 11th, 2011
3:11 pm
I would rather have a sister that works in a house of ill-repute than have a brother who is is the head football coach at GA.
Lowrider
September 11th, 2011
3:11 pm
Richt has finishes 6-2 in SEC play or better, 6 times at UGA.
Spurrier has finished 6-2 or better, 0 times at SC.
DR. Akin
September 11th, 2011
3:13 pm
Mark,
You are the reason why your profession is respected about one level above the prostitution field. Your profession gives you the opportunity to voice your opinion. You, like so many others in your field, abuse that privilege in order to make more money and to make a name for yourself. To get straight to the point, name one program that has ever won a national championship with a sophomore quarterback, freshman running back and a freshman and junior wide receiver. The defense held the SC offense to 21 points. An offense that features ones of the best running backs and wide receivers in the nation. Your words that hint in finding a new coach illustrates this simple point; your a sports writer, that’s all you are. You will never be a head football coach at the collegiate level for a reason. Mark Richt is not going anywhere and by the end of the season, you will know why. It’s a young team that nearly beat the number #12 ranked team in the nation. At the end of the season, we’ll be 9-3 and the #1 running back in the nation will be coming to Athens.
I can understand the average person wants to fire Richt, that’s why he/she is the average fan. They couldn’t tell you what defensive scheme the opponent is running nor tell you what offense to run against it. That’s why they are the average fan. They never played football passed high school, all they know how to do is to point out the obvious when something doesn’t work in the game. That’s why they are average fans. So again, that’s why I can understand why they get upset, they don’t know any better. They just want to voice their opinion so that they can feel like they are smart.
exponential improvement!
September 11th, 2011
3:14 pm
richt knows his math. I calculate the improvement from game 1 to game 2 to the coastal carolina game to be as follows:
[(quality of play in games 1+2) / 2 ] ^ exp(3)
The dawgs should explode with this improvement!!!! The dawgs are back!!!!
deniers
September 11th, 2011
3:14 pm
Any other school’s fan base would demand an incompetent leader who can defeat neither SEC opponents nor any other ranked opponents be fired.
The homers in our own fan base talk about how close we are and what a great Christian he is. In a way, we have the idiots among us to thank for all the mediocrity.
Florida, Oklahoma, USC, etc. would not tolerate a coach like Richt, but apparently he’s just fine for a good portion of UGA fans. Settling for him is settling for far less than football excellence.
pragmatic
September 11th, 2011
3:15 pm
Does this mean that the undefeated season we talked about over the summer is out of reach?
Out by the Pond
September 11th, 2011
3:15 pm
1. More than mere tweaks are needed.
2. CMR lost what little fire in the belly he had 9 years ago
3. The dogs, even in the weak east will have a losing season.
QYB(Quit Your Bitchin')
September 11th, 2011
3:15 pm
Georgia is still Georgia? With all the backstabbers out there, no “Proven” Coach would want to come to Athens. As for recruiting, the whole bunch of you calling for Richt’s ouster are just creating a self fulfilling prophecy…RECRUITING is ALREADY suffering for all the devisivness in the Bulldog nation and for every recruit that you run off, the team is just that much further away from EVER getting to where we all want it to be. Love the Dawgs, Quit Your Bitchin’.
Hire Kirby Smart!
September 11th, 2011
3:15 pm
mcgarity needs to get smart to athens–right now! Offer him whatever he wants, even if it takes $4 million plus benefits. Ga needs a big time coach, right away!
South carolina is overrated
September 11th, 2011
3:17 pm
Mark this down–south carolina will lose 2-3 games. Ga runs the table and wins the SEC east!!! Ga v. Alabama for the SEC title!
Couldn't happen to a better fan base
September 11th, 2011
3:17 pm
@Flat Tire.
HA HA. You’re team is awful. Was last year, did you miss that 6-7 season with the loss to UCF?
Mike Leach? Nobody wants Mike Leach, no wonder he’s interested in Gawga.
You mentioned Stewart Mandel, lets look at that quote again because it’s just priceless and accurate:
I’m with you, Dave. If Georgia runs off Richt this year, it will be textbook Clemson/Ole Miss Syndrome. (Note the example cited in that link: Minnesota. How’s that working out?) Historically, Georgia is more prestigious than either of those teams — but not as much as Dawgs fans like to think. In all my travels, I’m not sure I’ve ever come across a fan base whose self-perception is so far from reality. Georgia fashions itself a national power in the vein of Ohio State, USC, et. al., based primarily off one glorious three-year run 30 years ago with Herschel Walker (and some kick-butt years in the 1940s). Prior to this season, the Dawgs under Richt had vastly outperformed their historical “equilibrium,” and in fact Richt’s career winning percentage (.752) is the highest in school history (not counting Bobby Winston’s lone 5-1 season in 1894).
Read more: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/writers/stewart_mandel/09/29/mailbag/index.html#ixzz1XfnPQiM2
Brad from Atl
September 11th, 2011
3:17 pm
Enter your comments here
GA FAN SINCE 73
September 11th, 2011
3:18 pm
WE MAY GET 4 WINS COASTAL CAROLINA VANDY MAYBE NEW MEXICO STATE THATS IT UGA DONT WANA WIN GA MADE THE SEC LOOK BAD IN THE DOME LSU AND BAMA COULD BEAT BOISE STATE BY 28 POINTS
That Being Said
September 11th, 2011
3:22 pm
This blog is full of jokesters and some really funny ones at that. Then you have some serious folks like that Dr. Akin fellow, who drinks all of the Richt kool-aid he can get his hands on. I believe he might be the same good man that had ugay ranked as high as #1 in August.
KEEP RICHT&BOBO PLEASE
September 11th, 2011
3:22 pm
AUBURN TENN FLORIDA AND KENT SAYS DONT FIRE MARK RICHT OR MIKE BOZO!
Cobb Dawg
September 11th, 2011
3:24 pm
Mark, couldn’t agree more. Good, well-coached teams win close games because they believe that they will. Poorly-coached teams turn sure victories over. I bet you couldn’t melt SOS’s smile right now with a blowtorch. CMR will not turn this program around with his current attitude and staff. UGA will get beat this season by every team ranked above them and some ranked below. Why? Because those teams want to win worse than Richt and his staff do. Simple as that. If *AU beats UGA this season, Richt should be fired on the spot, even before his post-game interview. I really like him as a person, but he’s just not putting $3.5 mil effort/emotion into the job.
RTR22
September 11th, 2011
3:24 pm
Playing Jan 1 meant something in the 70’s/80’s. Not so much any more back in the day if you were not 9-2 you watched nyd
Tampa Gator
September 11th, 2011
3:25 pm
Note to self. Any time a Georgia fans blogs with “mark it down”…….place a bet on the opposite happening with Vegas town. MARK THAT DOWN.
KEEP RICHT&BOBO PLEASE
September 11th, 2011
3:25 pm
THE WAY YOU UGA FANS KEEP DEFENDING MARK RICHT,IM GLAD THAT YOU ALL WANT TO KEEP HIM AND MIKE BOBO!
THIS WAY THE TOP RECRUITS KEEP GOING TO ALABAMA,AUBURN,TENN,FLORIDA AND LSU!
sammiamm
September 11th, 2011
3:26 pm
http://gtsportstalk.com/showthread.php?340-Who-Will-Be-UGA-s-New-Head-Football-Coach-After-Richt-is-Fired
ouch
sammiamm
September 11th, 2011
3:27 pm
am i blocked mark? any reason why?
KEEP RICHT&BOBO PLEASE
September 11th, 2011
3:27 pm
MARK BRADLEY YOU AND THE REDNECKS HERE IN GEORGIA SUFFER!
Rocky Top
September 11th, 2011
3:28 pm
Not if AU beat *UGA….WHEN AU beats *UGA! Leave the SEC. Please.
*UGA = fake SEC team that couldn’t win it’s way out of a paper bag!
Couldn't happen to a better fan base
September 11th, 2011
3:29 pm
Oh Richt is 6-2 in SEC play 6 times… but he’s 4-4 then 3-5 and now 0-1.
Gene Chizik is 12-5 in SEC play, 24-5 overall at Auburn and has won 17 straight plus a National Championship. That’s in 2 years plus 2 games.
Saban at LSU was 48-16, 28-12 in SEC play and a BCS National Championship. 45-11 and 25-7 in conference play at Alabama with a BCS National Championship.
Mark Richt is 96-36 and 53-28… and guess what… 0 BCS National Championships.
Les is 64-17 and 32-15 and a BCS National Championship.
Richt is a lot like Murray, lots of nothing that matters.
KEEP RICHT&BOBO PLEASE
September 11th, 2011
3:29 pm
ADAMS NEEDS TO BE BYTCH SLAPPED FOR BEING CONNED BY MARK RICHT FOR PAYING HIM 3.5 MILLION A YEAR!
Barack Obama
September 11th, 2011
3:29 pm
Hey, winning isn’t everything! We have to learn to let others win. It’s time Georgia fans started letting go of this idea that they should win more than half their games. That’s only fair. I’m afraid I’m going to have to take more of your victories and give them to other teams. I mean…come on! I gave you people new uniforms. What more does a team need?
KEEP RICHT&BOBO PLEASE
September 11th, 2011
3:32 pm
WHAT DOES LES,GENE,NICK AND URBAN HAVE THAT MARK RICHT DOESNT? A CRYSTAL BALL TROPHY!
SO YOU REDNECK HICKS HERE IN GA PLEASE KEEP MARK SOFT RICHT PLEASE!
Destin Dawg
September 11th, 2011
3:35 pm
Mark… Dan Mullen .. is that Dan Mullen of Miss. State ??? who just got out coached by Gene Cizik… and lost to a mediocre Auburn Team yesterday ????? What !! I keep Richt.. thank you
LoganvilleDAWG
September 11th, 2011
3:35 pm
Hey Tampa Gator, YOU ARE A IDIOT!!!! I was at the game & UGA should of won but when you give up 28 pts in 61 seconds its tough to win…
Hey guys, continue to support the team & make Sanford loud like it was yesterday..Lets have a big crowd there Saturday, make noise & push for a big win…
Rob Bee
September 11th, 2011
3:36 pm
In every article I read on this game everything is about offense – how Georgia just played so well, and if not for a few key mistakes, they win the game. What about the defense? Sure Georgia’s offense looked good, but that’s only half the game. SC couldn’t have won if we only take into account the defensive scores. How do you account for the 33 pts. scored by SC special teams and offense. Instead of blaming Mike Bobo for everything, how about looking at the D-coordinator too?
Interesting
September 11th, 2011
3:38 pm
Dawgs>,
Your attitude is the reason why UGA fans are so upset right now….you over-hype your team. Before declaring victory over a game weeks away, how about trying to win your FIRST game.
Snake Doc
September 11th, 2011
3:39 pm
For you CEO lovers, the season always starts next week! The CEO lovers stink!
FloridaDawg
September 11th, 2011
3:39 pm
I think we can beat Coastal Carolina…I feel confident. Who is Coastal Carolina?
What state? North or South? Are they near the water?
Top Dawg
September 11th, 2011
3:39 pm
Bring on Coastal Carolina!!!!
Richt > Smart or Mullen!
September 11th, 2011
3:39 pm
Keep richt if the only choices are the overrated kirby smart or dan muller. Smart is a glorified gofer at alabama and mullen choked against a mediocre auburn team.
shaun
September 11th, 2011
3:40 pm
Bradley is a Richt underminer. Richt is a great coach. Matt Towery who is a republican pollster did a poll that showed overwhelming support for Richt. Sorry Bradley.
Couldn't happen to a better fan base
September 11th, 2011
3:41 pm
Dan Mullen is pretty good, you have to consider what MsSt was before he got there. You’ll see, when they beat you 48 – 35, with that 35 making the final score look close but it never was. Typical Gawga.
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville
September 11th, 2011
3:41 pm
Couldn’t happen to a better fan base
Guess you have trouble with reading comphrension too
Im not a Richt kool-aid drinker so I think if you read my posts you would have seen that
I just responded to your Stewart Mandell ignorant statement about UGA being an irrelevant program
You and your buddy Mandell should do your homework before you open your ignorant mouth
Destin Dawg
September 11th, 2011
3:41 pm
YES… S.C. can still lose 2 or 3 and we can still run the table… at least we looked alot better.. .. but it was really Bad to have Garcia play SOOO BAD in the 1st half and we got only 2 for 3 on F.G. trys… 6 points.,.. should have had at least 14 or 17…
Tampa Gator
September 11th, 2011
3:41 pm
Dawgster…..
I must have touched a 0-2 nerve….didn’t I?
I previously stated the following on other AJC blogs this morning:
1. Georgia lost to two better teams, although I thought they would upset SC. P.S. They lost to the #4 and #12 ranked teams in the country……but they still lost both games….and did not look good in either one….better….but not good against SC.
2. Florida is 2-0 and has outscored both teams 83-3, not allowing a single TD on defense. But they still have a lot to prove, but will have that chance this coming weekend against a very good Vols team in THE SWAMP.
3. At least I didn’t attack Richt’s religion this time…..other than saying Georgia fans are not in a very Christian-like mood towards the Christ-like man at the moment. Maybe Richt just needs to go back to seminary and become an evangelical preacher. I hear there is more money in that, anyway.
Tampa Gator
September 11th, 2011
3:42 pm
Dawgster…..
Sorry for touching your 0-2 nerves this morning. But all will be good…..trust in Richt….and all will be good. Just trust…..but first…..you need to calm down, my friend.
SufferingFalcondawg
September 11th, 2011
3:43 pm
I am not sure the you can save Richt’s job at this point or if you should. As a life long Georgia fan annd Falcon’s fan, I feel neither is seriously commited to winning. I can say this BYE BYE BO BO! His play calling is some of the worst I have ever seen and the offense is playing well below their potential. That needs to happen today!
Alanta play calling is just as bad!